One Day At A Time
by gijane197702
Summary: Remus and Tonks come to an understanding. Set OotP.


Word count: 1645 (yep…LONG drabble)

Disclaimer: Don't own them. Never did, never will. Damnit!

Prompt: Halloween (its there…barely)

For allipotter- who had a crappy day :)

Nymphadora Tonks was exhausted. Instead of spending Halloween night with her family feasting after work, she had pulled a last minute watch for the Order of the Phoenix. And, of course, it had poured down rain all night long, so Tonks was cold and wet as well as tired. Halfway through the night, she had begun to long for her cosy armchair in front of her parents' fireplace.

The only bright spot the whole night was that she was on duty with

Remus Lupin. Tonks was positive that they both fancied each other, but Remus had yet to make a move. She knew that he wouldn't make a move, since he had serious reasons why he had always avoided relationships. And Tonks, despite her wild appearance was, at heart, an old-fashioned witch. So, they had come to the point where if they were in the same room together you could cut the sexual tension with a knife. Something was going to have to happen soon.

Tonks said goodnight to her cousin, Sirius, who was grinning at her far too broadly, and dragged herself upstairs to a spare bedroom. Kicking open the first door on the second floor, she hauled herself over to the bed and flopped down. Tonks dozed off for a bit, but was awoken by the sound of a running shower.

The brilliant idea of taking a hot shower to warm up penetrated her brain. Struggling, she pulled herself up into a sitting position and stripped off her cloak and robes. Tonks let out a loud groan as she leaned over to unlace her dragon hide boots. Toeing them off, she lay back on the bed and peeled her patched jeans off. Next off came her thermal shirt.

Groaning at the thought of moving anymore, Tonks flopped back down on the bed clad only in her matching lace cami and knickers and socks.

Vaguely, she was aware that the shower had stopped. Hauling herself back up and off the bed, she stumbled towards the bathroom door, bleary-eyed. She yanked open the sticking door. The scene that greeted her eyes had her wide-awake and flooded with desire.

Remus stood at the bathroom mirror, naked, save for the towel wrapped around his lean hips. His wet, greying hair was slicked back and his lower face was covered in shaving cream. He was shaving the Muggle way.

Her whispered "Oh my God" captured his attention. Remus' blue eyes locked with her dark ones in the mirror. He paused mid stroke. Tonks could read the desire in his eyes.

Unconsciously, she licked her lips. "Wotcher," Tonks said in attempt to break the sexual tension that had immediately filled the small bathroom.

"Hello," he responded hoarsely. She absentmindedly began to rub her throat and neck. Remus' eyes followed her movements, making her even more aroused. He then snapped them back on his own reflection. "Productive shift," he continued as her resumed shaving.

"Yeah," Tonks said. "Yeah, it was." She was disappointed. Once again, he wasn't going to make a move.

"Waiting for the shower?" Remus asked suddenly. Tonks nodded. "I'll be done here in just a second, and then it's off to bed for me." He motioned to the connecting door, which was open, revealing another bedroom.

"I didn't realize that this was a connecting bathroom."

"It is," he told her, cleaning off the razor. "I took Regulus' old room and you took Sirius'."

"Oh," was all Tonks said.

They both fell silent again. She began to wonder, watching him shave, if she was imagining it all. But when Remus bent down to rise the razor off one last time and to clean his face, Tonks' dark eyes caught sight of a tell tale bulge rising from his towel. She jerked her eyes back up to the mirror, once again locking gazes with him.

"Remus," she whispered as his aftershave assaulted her senses. Tonks felt her nipples harden with desire.

"Don't, Nymphadora," he said in a low voice, clutching the sink.

"Why not? This," she gestured between the two of them, "has been going on for months."

"I can't," Remus said harshly. "Don't you understand that!" He pulled away from the sink and stood facing her. "Don't you think I want to? I mean, look at you!" Tonks was suddenly aware she was clad on in her cami and knickers and socks. "You're so beautiful…and I'm…" He raked his hands through his hair. "It's not you…it's me."

"Remus," she began softly.

"Please, Nymphadora, please don't."

"But I want too-"

"I know, but-"

"Just let me finish. I've done my research; I know what I'll be getting into. You've been to my flat; you've seen all my books, all my books, on Dark Creatures…specifically werewolves. Listen, I know you've avoided relationships in the past…and with good reason, but this different. You know it, Remus, this…us…it's different."

"Do you really think you understand what it would mean to you to be with me?" Remus asked her. "To be linked to me…the second most infamous werewolf in Britain. Do you think you won't be ostracised?" He held up a hand as Tonks made to respond. "And your parents…what would they say? Yes, I know Sirius assumes that they would understand, being that they've been in a similar situation themselves. But the situations are not the same. Your father is accepted by wizarding society. It was just the Blacks and their pure-blooded mania that wouldn't accept him. I'm not accepted by society, at all, end of story. I couldn't do that to you, Nymphadora." He paused. "And I haven't even mentioned our age difference! That's a whole other thing!"

"But…you're attracted to me?" she asked.

"Look at me!" Remus said, gesturing towards his now even larger bulge.

"If I wasn't a werewolf, I'd have you back in that room and flat on your back in bed…if I wasn't," he said in a strangled tone.

Tonks felt a fresh flood of desire surge through her. "Well, we have to do something about us! We can't go on like this forever."

"What? What can we do?" He raked his hand through his hair again in frustration.

She paused then said, "I suggest a compromise. I know why you don't want a relationship: too dangerous, too old …"

"Not to mention too poor," Remus added. "Sorry," he muttered at her scowl.

"But what we have is different. I know it and you know it." She paused, and he nodded his agreement. "So I suggest we take it day by day. You know, see where it goes." Tonks held her breath as he thought about it.

"One day at a time," he said slowly.

"Yeah…"

"I think I could do that."

Tonks' heart jumped into her throat. "Really?" she whispered.

"Yeah. I can do one day at a time."

"One day at a time," Tonks repeated.

Suddenly, they both rushed at each other. Remus grasped her heart shaped face between his large hands. Their mouths fused in a desperate, passionate kiss. When he pulled her flush with his body, Tonks could feel his arousal. She wiggled up against him, trying to get closer.

Breaking free of the kiss, Remus gasped out, "Bed."

Their mouths fused again as he backed them up and out the door. Remus backed Tonks right up against the bed. Being as graceful as she was, she fell backwards onto the bed. Remus looked down at her and began to chuckle.

"Think that's funny, do you?" she asked. "Now this is funny!" Tonks ripped the towel off from around his hips. "Oh my," she moaned. Remus was completely naked.

"Like what you see?" he asked looming over her.

"Oh yes," she told him.

"Let me see you." Tonks grinned at him, and then wiggled her knickers down. She moved to remove her pink striped knee socks, but Remus stopped her. "Keep them on."

"All right." She pulled the cami up over her head and threw it aside. Tonks lay back on the bed and asked, "Like what you see?"

"Oh yes," he said, crawling up beside her.

Tonks opened her mouth for another kiss, which he promptly gave her. After several snogged filled minutes, he groaned, "Can't wait."

"Then don't," she gasped.

Remus nodded at her as he moved over her. Tonks let her legs fall open invitingly. He positioned himself over her and thrust inside her.

"Oh God," he groaned.

"Exactly!" Tonks told him. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she encouraged him to thrust harder, which he immediately did.

"Oh my God, Dora."

Remus pumped into her for several minutes. Tonks felt herself reaching her peak. "Oh yes!"

He leaned over and flicked her clitoris, which sent her over the edge. As she soared, Tonks screamed his name.

A few quick and hard thrusts later, he came, groaning her name. Remus collapsed on top of her. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him close.

After a bit, he looked up at her. "Wow," he said, raking a hand through his hair.

"Yeah."

"Oh, I must be crushing you."

"Naw, you feel fantastic."

"So do you," Remus said as he gently withdrew and rolled next to her. "Well, that was several months in the making."

"Yeah, all that tension. It was bound to snap sometime. It just happened tonight." Tonks yawned, her exhaustion catching up with her again. "Oh God, I'm totally knackered."

"Go to bed, Dora."

"Dora?" she asked, rolling onto her side to face him.

"I am not calling you 'Tonks'. Especially in bed! You don't like 'Nymphadora', so I shortened it. Besides, there are too many syllables to call out when I come."

She giggled. "Dora…I like it. A name just for you to use." Yawning again, Tonks snuggled up against him. "Good night, Remus."

"Good night, Dora."

They both fell asleep, holding each other, smiles on their faces.


End file.
